Marine technology makes Greater Bay Area greener, safer

Joint contributions aid rescue work, help restore ocean life

An orange-colored flash in the shape of a surfboard cut through a raging sea off Weihai, Shandong province, on Aug 9, before quickly returning with a 15-year-old boy, who was scared and drenched, but otherwise unharmed.

This robotic device was controlled by a police officer on the shoreline. The teenager, who was washed out to sea about 100 meters off the coast, was almost lost to the depths. Had it not been for the device, it would have been extremely difficult to save him, as rescuers faced gale-force winds and tumultuous waves.

Police recorded video footage of the robotic rescue mission, and the special operation went viral on the internet. Countless netizens said they were amazed by the robot.

The device, Hai Tun 1, or Dolphin 1, which is 1.19 meters long and 0.85 meters wide, is powered by two pump jets on each side of its tail. It was developed by Zhuhai Yunzhou Intelligence Technology, which is based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

The successful rescue operation also offered a glimpse of the robust marine technology industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, or GBA.

Zhuhai Yunzhou Intelligence Technology has been focusing on manufacturing multifunctional unmanned boats and above-water robots for more than a decade. The company sells over 30 types of unmanned boats and rescue robots for use in environmental monitoring, marine surveys, and patrols and lifesaving missions on water.

The electrically powered device can travel over water at three meters per second, carry a maximum weight of 150 kilograms, and operate for 30 minutes on a full charge, according to the company.

The robot's controller resembles a pistol, with a screen displaying the device's speed, battery level and other data. Holding the controller, rescue workers command the robot via microwaves, and it can be used for rescue work up to 800 meters offshore.